Fast Takes with FastBreak: Chicago vs Minneapolis
By: Ashton Butler and Lauren Gomez
After an unexpected delay, Major League Quadball’s Lakes Division will debut regular-season play in a matchup of two heavyweights – the Minneapolis Monarchs and the Chicago Prowl. Neither franchise has had a season record below .500 in their history. And with an exhibition match between the two teams behind us, adjustments from both teams will definitely create a more interesting series when the gloves come off in Chicago this weekend.
In week one, Minneapolis was granted three victories to their official record following Toronto's concession of their match. But they also claimed two exhibition victories in their hometown matchup against Chicago. This exhibition match offers a unique perspective heading into the weekend, as seeing two teams match up twice in the same season is uncommon. Despite the series splitting in favor of Minneapolis, expect a very different game with more veterans on both ends getting to play in their actual positions.
The Big Cats Arrive
Chicago enters their first official play of the season with a roster ready to prove themselves and avenge their 1-2 record from their opening exhibition weekend. Despite the loss, many might say the Prowl came home from Minneapolis with victories across the board.
Chicago went into the weekend with only 10 players on their active roster, with the remaining players being on the Meowstars practice squad. The opportunity for minutes and increased playing opportunities against high-level Minneapolis starters and regular contributors was impressive to say the least. While there is still a lot of work to be done with these young players, specifically with their movement and rotations on both sides of the ball, there definitely were some shining stars for Chicago to highlight going into a weekend that will count.
Exciting rookie Kevin Fantozzi looked great in his minutes as he led the roster in goals with four. Fantozzi had a knack for understanding his positioning, along with choosing smart moments to pressure players on defense. He has definitely found confidence in his pump fake and once he has the playmakers from the Chicago roster to help him get the ball in good spots to score, he will be an issue.
Ariana Zhang also looks like she hasn’t lost a step. Her tenacious defense was strong, as it felt like she had a limitless motor in creating pressure and forcing bad passes. Pressure from Zhang, along with regular contact made from Meowstar Jemil Hunter, were disruptive throughout the series. However, while the young cats had their time, it’s time for the big cats to lace 'em up.
Issues for this Prowl team came from nothing more than inexperience. Head Coach Tad Walters did a great job of speaking with his players across the games to help them. However, going into a weekend with a roster full of winners and veterans, Chicago is ready to flip the script and show that the exhibition was a fluke.
Chicago’s strength begins with their defensive presence. They have the ability to cover all corners of the half with their athletes on defense at all four positions. The confidence and cohesion to take far steps in pressuring offenses stems from the belief they have in the people behind them, especially their beating core.
USNT Beater Matt Brown returns for the Prowl roster this summer with Camila Rodriguez. The two were statistically the best beating pair for Chicago in 2025 by a wide margin. While Brown’s contributions are apparent, Rodriguez is in for another massive year after finishing as the team’s leader in +/- and having a weighted comparative +/- of 95.97 with Brown, which was third in the entire league. With the departure this summer of beater Sol Alexander, expect a major season for Rodriguez as the primary partner for Brown and as one of the newly appointed assistant coaches for Chicago.
Chicago’s chasing game will return its core from a season ago with a lot of young talent ready for their true debut. The chasing line of Kennedy Murphy, Ally Peachey and Benjamin Peachey is going to create an issue for Minneapolis’ offense. However, the question on everyone’s mind going into this weekend is where is superman Nathan Digmann? Digmann has led the team in goals in every season he has spent in Chicago, and he’s never missed a game. His absence will be missed in the fearsome four.
Finding the next cat up is going to be joyful to watch, as we will get to see the development of different people in the footsteps of former Chicago superstars. When searching for the next up for this roster, you must look at returners such as Liam Zach III and Matt Troy. These two commonly play together on their USQ team Boom Train, but without Vincent Reyes as their primary scorer, who will fill the gap? The easy answer would be Ryley Andrews, as he has proven to be a difference-maker for this team whenever on the field. However, he has not played beyond five regular-season games in any season rostered for Chicago.
Look for big weekends out of George Blackwell III and Andrew Parchim, who are strong with a green headband on. Parchim played big minutes within the Boom Train / Trainwreck system in USQ and proved that he can provide offensive firepower while also bringing a punch on defense. Imagining a line with Parchim, Troy, Zach III and Zhang would be a defensive coach’s dream come true. Blackwell III, on the other hand, is also a formidable defender but plays a different offensive role than Parchim. Blackwell III thrives as a scorer behind hoops, whereas Parchim is a great up-top player. Ultimately, Chicago’s staff has some big decisions to make, and it will be exciting to see if they go with more veterans early or if they weasel in the youth sooner rather than later.
Chicago’s Keys to the Series:
Control the Flag Runner. Joe Goulet is the most lethal seeker in the league. He’s a threat not only in his ability to catch, but also in the energy that comes when he does, creating surges for Minneapolis that help them come back and win games. We e saw this in Minneapolis’ in the 2025 Champs matchups against Boston. Chicago has established seekers in Matt Melton and Nojus Ausra and it will be important for them to take care of business quickly before Goulet gets too many opportunities.
Force them to beat you without Goulet and Max Meier. A season ago, Meier and Goulet combined for 30 out of 54 goals across the five regular-season games for Minneapolis, as well as 28 out of 46 goals at MLQ Championships. These two are lethal scorers and the primary ball carriers for this roster, especially with the losses of veterans Ryan Mehio and Ben Zimet. Chicago needs to focus their attention on limiting these players and forcing the other Minneapolis chasers to make a play to score.
Don’t get too cute with lines. Chicago is one of the very best teams in the league when it comes to finding ways to play all 21 in any given series. While there may be opportunities to play through the young players on this roster, it is important to pace these subs by filtering them in with veterans or swapping out a line if a game starts to turn the wrong way. ensuring that a game doesn't turn the wrong way if a line struggles with younger players.
Swarming South
As Minneapolis prepares to make the trek to Chicago this weekend, it marks the first official series for the Monarchs. Following the exhibition match two weekends prior, the Prowl will look to regain the lead. While a lot of the members of Chicago played different positions than their starting positions to support practice squad members, they still came out of it with two losses in the three-game series.
At the exhibition series, Minneapolis had their starting roster featuring rookies and returners. Playing against some players from the Chicago practice squad and some of the main roster boosted morale for the Monarchs as players were able to implement plays they had worked on in practice. Keeping the tempo up but controlled was a huge challenge for the Monarchs, and they lost that control in the second game, but gained it back for the third. This is something to watch in the series come Saturday: will the Monarchs keep calm and run the plays they have worked on or crumble under pressure?
The Monarchs have lots of strengths and they are working to implement drills that target challenge points from previous seasons. From watching film to thinking about the exhibition series, the players have been working hard. Chasers have focused on tightening up their reps, finding opportunities to score goals and having fun. The beaters have worked on aim, strength, power and their game sense. With veteran Meredith McDowell at the helm, the beaters have worked on communication between their beating partners and plan to be loud for the Saturday series.
The Monarchs came in at No. 7 during the FastBreak News preseason rankings. This series, they aim to prove themselves against the No. 3 slot. Chicago is a fierce team with lots of competitive players, but where the Prowl boast seriousness, the Monarchs make up for it in fun spirit. The Monarchs' coach, Mike Devine, has said to players at practices leading up to the exhibition series and the official series that the main goal is to have fun playing the game. While teammates would love to win, at the heart of the Monarchs’ identity are the lines having fun. The team has performed very well due to this shift in mindset, with fewer temperamental situations and greater success seen from previous seasons.
Notably missing from the roster is Nicole Nelson, a strong beater. Will Minneapolis have success starting new beaters such as Lauren Gomez and former chaser Bryn Gustafson. How will they mold to the veteran beaters like Ben Schlueter and Peyton Schwiebert? The biggest challenge these beater partners face is that there are multiple combinations of communication and skill. What identity will these beater partner pairings make for themselves this weekend?
On the chaser end, rookie Bruce Lowmanstone comes crashing in as a strong force for the Monarchs. Lowmanstone plays fast and rough but finds scoring opportunities and works extremely well with veterans such as Terry Carlson. With impeccable keepers, the Monarchs have the opportunity to set up passes and make plays that can stun the Chicago defense.
Chicago will see one friendly face on the opposite side of the pitch this series, and that’s Emma Vasquez. Vasquez was a chaser for Boom Train during past USQ seasons and played with the Prowl in 2025 before transferring to the Monarchs for another shot at the Benepe Cup. During the exhibition series, the Meowstars underestimated the abilities of Vasquez, leaving scoring opportunities open for the chaser. If Minneapolis doesn’t take note of their performance and patch the holes in their defense that Vasquez exposed, it could be a trouble spot for the series.
How Minneapolis Rules the Series:
Keep a cool head. In the past, Minneapolis has struggled in high-pressure situations, leading to mistakes. This year's new coaching staff is keeping fun as a priority. Hopefully, this change of mindset will help the Monarchs stay calm this weekend, which will help them win in close games.
Slow down the pace, but maintain momentum. This Chicago team loves to run. If Minneapolis wants to have their way this series, they need to force the Prowl into a slow game, limiting their time with the ball. But that doesn’t mean they should stall. They need to force a slow pace to the game while maintaining their momentum if they want to win this weekend.
Camaraderie is the No. 1 priority. Minneapolis wins when it focuses on working as a team rather than the score. With past mindset issues behind them, expect the Monarchs to focus on the power of friendship this weekend. And expect it to have a big impact on the series outcome.
Prediction:
Ashton: Taking a game off of an MLQ team with a roster of rookies and practice squad players was beyond impressive out of this Prowl team. While Minneapolis is a strong team, they lack the depth to compete with Chicago at both chaser and beater. If they are to take a game, it will require a major shift away from the players they are used to leaning on in Meier and Goulet, but even that may not be enough. With a wide-open season and no true favorites to win the Benepe cup, Chicago definitely has something to prove this season. Despite the absence of their leader, Chicago is going to come out and remind everyone how dominant they can be.
Chicago 3-0.
Lauren: While Chicago is a juggernaut of a team, Minneapolis stands a chance because of the new blood that has infused a youthful spirit into the Monarchs. A new coaching staff has given Minneapolis what they need to continue working hard inside and out of practice. Despite the strength of Prowl in both roles, the Monarchs have strong players and college kids who are looking for a win. The Monarchs look to win their first series against the Prowl in program history, and this weekend might just be it.
Minneapolis 2-1.
